Decorative Tassel

ABSTRACT

A tassel has a cap with supports in the form of hooks or pins over which tassel strands are placed for suspending the strands from the cap. An apertured resilient elastomeric, form sustaining, stopper receives the ends of the supports for securing the strands on the supports. The strands can be replaced by compressing the stopper for removal from the supports and replacing the stopper on the supports after replacement of the tassel strands.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to construct decorative tassels for use with home furnishings, e.g., as tie backs for curtains or drapes, suspended from curtain rods, as coverings in entrance ways, and in many other similar applications. Typically, a tassel has a cap from which there are suspended a plurality of strands. Each strand can include yarns or threads of synthetic materials such as nylon or rayon or natural materials such as wool, one or more strings of beads, or any other flexible material or combination of such materials as will be known to those skilled in the art.

It is known in the art to place the ends of the strands from which a tassel is formed inside a cap and fill the cap with a cement to hold the tassels in place. Such an attachment is permanent and the tassels cannot be changed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,102,746 to Reilly for Ornamentation teaches a method of mounting parallel cords which form a mesh with the use of an adhesive.

It is also known to perforate a tassel cap with holes through which strung beads or other tassel strands can be passed. It is further known to use a screw to attach a holder for the tassels to the cap. U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,796 to Embrey for a Combined Bird Feeder that Chimes features an analogous construction having a cap with apertures through which chains are passed to support the cap, a central bell and surrounding chimes.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,425,336 to Prevot for a Tassel describes a tassel cap which is bell-shaped and has a central aperture which allows it to be placed over a tube extending upwardly from a cup having notches about its circumference. Beaded strands can be locked into the notches in the cup and then held in place by the tassel cap.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,371 to Zehetner for a Decorative Tassel Assembly having Interchangeable Components shows a construction with a bulbous head which is attached to a cord component for hanging the tassel, and a skirt from which the tassel strands are suspended below the head.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,624 to Kiapos et al. for a Decorative Multi-Bead Tassel features a tassel which consists of multiple strands of beads suspended from a single strand of beads. The multiple strands are attached to the single strand by a wire wrapping.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,781,687 to Hazman for an Ornamenting Device and Method of Making the Same deals with a structure formed from beads mounted on rods. The rods are held together by a clamping device.

The foregoing prior art tassel constructions are permanent in that once assembled, the tassel strands cannot be readily individual removed, replaced, or rearranged. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art tassel constructions by teaching how to positively secure multiple tassel strands to a tassel cap in a manner that facilitates their removal, replacement, or rearrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A tassel, in accordance with the invention includes a hollow cap having a central vertical axis, a peaked top and an open bottom, and a plurality of spaced tassel supports extending inwardly toward the axis, each support having an end mounted on an inner surface of the cap proximate the bottom, and a free end. A tassel strand can be looped over each support at a position virtually anywhere along the length of the strand. In another embodiment of the invention, each support can penetrate a loop provided on an end of a tassel strand for hanging the strand from the cap.

An elastomeric stopper has a compressed disposition when squeezed and an expanded disposition when released. The stopper has a plurality of openings spaced about its exterior in one to one correspondence with the supports with each stopper opening receiving a free end of a support for preventing removal of the strand from the support.

The tassel cap can have a wall which is substantially continuous. Alternatively, the tassel cap can be substantially in the form of a cage with spaced bars tapering outwardly from the top toward the bottom. The bars of the cage have bottom ends bent inwardly forming supports that are integral with the bottom ends of the bars.

The free ends of the supports are can be turned upwardly toward the top of the cap so that they form hooks, and the openings in the stopper can have axes substantially parallel to the central axis of the cap. The stopper can be squeezed to a compressed disposition for insertion into the cap through the cap open bottom to a position above the free ends of the supports. The stopper can then be allowed to expand, and then pulled down onto the hooks.

Alternatively, the supports can include horizontal pins in which case the pins and stopper openings have axes substantially transverse to the central axis of the cap. Here, the stopper can be squeezed to a compressed disposition for insertion into the cap through the cap open bottom to a position with the openings substantially coplanar with the free ends of the supports, and then released to allow the stopper to expand and the free ends of the support pins to enter the stopper openings.

The stopper can be of any shape that enables it to expand and cover the free ends of the supports. Preferably, for a cap with a circular bottom, the stopper has the ring-like profile of a flattened cylinder with openings extending vertically from a bottom face of the stopper toward a top face of the stopper or horizontally from the inner circumference of the stopper to its outer circumference depending on whether the free ends of the supports are vertical, as in the case of hooks, or are horizontal pins.

A central aperture in the stopper can receive the tip of a finger for pulling the stopper downwardly onto and over the free ends of supports which point upwardly to serve as hooks.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tassel with strands that are interchangeable, replaceable, and removable.

It is another object of the invention to be able to selectively secure together strands of a tassel, and to easily separate the strands of the tassel without damage to the tassel or its components.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tassel in which all of the tassel components are reusable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tassel which can contain strands of any material, whether beaded or not beaded.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a tassel having components which can be easily assembled without special skill, e.g., for use in a crafts kit.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following drawings and descriptions of preferred embodiments of the invention in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a first embodiment of the invention

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a component of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of another component of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of still another component of the first embodiment of the invention

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the component of the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a second embodiment of the invention

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a component of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of another component of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of still another component of the second embodiment of the invention

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of the component of the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an elevation view of a third embodiment of the invention

FIG. 12 is an elevation view of a component of the third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is an elevation view of another component of the third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of still another component of the third embodiment of the invention

FIG. 15 is an elevation view of the component of the third embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an elevation view of a fourth embodiment of the invention

FIG. 17 is an elevation view of a component of the fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 18 is an elevation view of another component of the fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 19 is a bottom plan view of still another component of the fourth embodiment of the invention

FIG. 20 is an elevation view of the component of the fourth embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 19.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, in accordance a first embodiment of the invention of a tassel 1, a cap 3 which can be frustoconical, frustopyramidal, dome shaped, bell shaped or otherwise and having a tapered profile with a peak 5 at its top and an open bottom, has affixed to its peak 5 a hanger 7 in the form of a loop 13 for suspending the tassel 1 from a wall or ceiling mounted hook, cord, or other device which can penetrate the opening in the hanger 7.

Extending outwardly and downwardly from the peak 5 are equally angularly spaced bars or wires 9 which form a cage 17 with an open bottom. One or more horizontal wires (not shown) may be affixed to the downwardly extending wires 9 intermediate the peak 5 and bottom of the cage 17 for reinforcement to prevent unwanted bending of the downwardly extending wires 9.

Each of the downwardly extending wires 9 is terminated at the bottom of the cage 17 with a support from which a tassel strand 15 can be suspended. The strands 15 are formed from beaded strings each of which is looped over a support, optionally at its midpoint to give the appearance of two strands suspended from each support. In order to adjust the hanging lengths of the strands, each may be placed over a support at other points along its length. The strands may be formed from other materials as indicated above and as will be known to those skilled in the art.

The supports may be hooks 11, as shown in FIG. 2, over which a tassel strand 15 can be hung as seen in FIG. 1.

A form sustaining disc or flattened cylinder in the form of a ring 19 with a central opening and apertures 20 evenly distributed about its bottom face serves as a stopper for securing the strands 15 hanging from the hooks 11. The stopper 19 is made of an elastomeric resilient material such as rubber or a rubber synthetic which can be compressed when squeezed and which expands to a rest disposition when released. The elastomeric ring stopper 19 can be squeezed to reduce its volume for insertion through the opening bottom of the cap 3. When the squeezing force is released from the stopper 19, the stopper 19 expands and returns to its original shape.

The outer diameter of the circular stopper is preferably substantially equal to the diameter of the inner surface of the cap wall adjacent its bottom whereon the hooks 11 are mounted. Accordingly, when the stopper is squeezed and inserted into the cap 3 above the hooks 11 over which the strands 15 have been looped, the stopper can then be pulled down, e.g., by inserting a finger through the central opening in the ring 19 and pulling it downwardly. Before the ring 19 is pulled down it is turned so that each aperture 20 in the bottom face of the ring 19 is in alignment with a corresponding upward pointing end of a hook 11. The ring 19 is then pulled down so that the apertures 20 in the ring 19 are penetrated by the ends of the hooks 11 thereby causing the ring 19 to secure the hanging strands 15 in place on the hooks 11.

Each aperture 20 in the stopper may be fully penetrated by a corresponding hook 11. Alternatively, the ring 19 may have blind apertures in one face deep enough to enable the ring 19 to be placed securely over the ends of the hooks 11 without the hooks 11 fully penetrating the ring 19.

In a second embodiment of the invention of a tassel 45 illustrated in FIGS. 6-10, the bottom ends 21 of the wires 23 may be bent to form horizontal pins 25. In this case, the elastomeric stopper ring 27 may have its apertures 29 evenly distributed about the circumference of the outside of the ring 27 with their axes directed radially inwardly.

In this embodiment, each of the strands 31 has a loop 22 attached to one end for placement over one of the horizontal pins 25. The ring 27 may be compressed and fitted onto the pins 25 with each pin 25 penetrating horizontally completely or partially through an aperture 29 in the ring 27 depending on the length of the pin and whether the apertures 29 extend from the outer circumference 33 to the interior opening 35 of the ring 27 or are blind apertures which only extend partially through the ring 27 from its outer circumference 33.

In accordance with the invention, a cap 37 which can be frustoconical, frustopyramidal, dome shaped, bell shaped or otherwise have a tapered profile with a peak 39 at its top and an open bottom 41, has affixed to its peak 39 a hanger 43 in the form of a hook for suspending the tassel 45.

Extending outwardly and downwardly from the peak 39 are equally angularly spaced bars or wires 23 which form a cage 47 with an open bottom 41. One or more horizontal wires (not shown) may be affixed to the downwardly extending wires 23 intermediate the peak 39 and bottom of the cage 47 for reinforcement to prevent unwanted bending of the downwardly extending wires 23.

Each of the downwardly extending wires 23 is terminated at the bottom of the cage 47 with a support from which a tassel strand 31 can be suspended. The supports may be horizontal pins 25, as shown in FIG. 7 over which a loop 22 of a tassel strand 31 can be placed as seen in FIG. 6.

A form sustaining ring 27 serves as a stopper 27 for securing the looped ends 22 of the strands 31 in place on the pins 25. The stopper 27 is made of an elastomeric resilient material such as rubber or a rubber synthetic which can be compressed when squeezed and which expands to a rest disposition when released. The elastomeric stopper ring 27 can be squeezed to reduce its volume for insertion through the opening bottom of the cap 37. When the squeezing force is released from the stopper 27 the stopper 27 expands and returns to its original shape, i.e., rest disposition.

The outer diameter of the circular stopper 27 is preferably substantially equal to the diameter of the bottom of cap 37. Accordingly, when the stopper 27 is squeezed and inserted into the cap 37 at the level of the pins 25 over which the strands have been looped, the stopper 27 can then be turned, if necessary, to align its apertures 29 with the ends 21 of the projecting support pins 25. The stopper 27 can then be released, allowing it to expand to its rest disposition at which the apertures 29 in the ring 27 are penetrated by the ends of the pins 25 thereby causing the ring 27 to secure the loops 22 of the strands 31 in place on the pins 25.

Each of the apertures 29 in the stopper 27 may be fully penetrated by a corresponding pin 25. Alternatively, The ring 27 may have blind apertures in its outer wall deep enough to enable the ring 27 to be placed securely over the ends of the pins 25 without the pins 25 fully penetrating the ring 27 s.

Referring now to FIGS. 11-15, in accordance a third embodiment of the invention of a tassel 51, a cap 53 which can be frustoconical, frustopyramidal, dome shaped, bell shaped, or otherwise have a tapered profile with a peak 55 at its top, an open bottom, and a continuous wall, has affixed to its peak 55 a hanger 57 in the form of a loop for suspending the tassel 51 from a hook, a cord or other device which can penetrate the opening in the hanger 57.

Distributed about the inner circumference of wall of the cap 53 near the cap bottom are a plurality of equally spaced supports 59 from which one or more tassel strands 61 can be suspended. The supports 59 may be hooks 63, as shown in FIG. 12, over which a tassel strand 61 can be placed as seen in FIG. 11.

A form sustaining ring with apertures 62 distributed about its lower face serves as a stopper 65 for securing the strands 61 in place on the hooks 63. The stopper 65 is made of an elastomeric resilient material such as rubber or a rubber synthetic which can be compressed when squeezed and which expands to a rest disposition when released. The elastomeric ring stopper 65 can be squeezed to reduce its volume for insertion through the opening bottom of the cap 53. When the squeezing force is released from the stopper 65 the stopper 65 expands and returns to its original shape.

The outer diameter of the circular stopper 65 is preferably substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the inner surface of the cap wall adjacent its bottom whereon the hooks 63 are mounted.

Accordingly, when the stopper 65 is squeezed and inserted into the cap 53 above the hooks 63 over which the strands 61 have been looped, the stopper 65 can then be pulled down, e.g., by inserting a finger through the central opening in the ring and pulling it downwardly. Before the ring is pulled down it is turned so that each aperture 62 in the bottom face of the ring is in alignment with a corresponding upward pointing end of a hook. The ring is then pulled down so that the apertures in the ring are penetrated by the ends of the hooks 63 thereby causing the ring 65 to secure the strands 61 in place on the hooks 63. The stopper 65 can be compressed and pulled from the cap 53 to free the hanging strands 61 for removal from the hooks 63.

Each aperture 62 in the stopper 65 may be fully penetrated by a corresponding hook. Alternatively, the ring may also have blind apertures in one face deep enough to enable the ring to be placed securely over the ends of the hooks 63 without the hooks 63 fully penetrating the rings 63.

Referring now to FIGS. 16-20, in a fourth embodiment of the invention of a tassel 71, horizontal pins 81 extend from the inner circumference of the cap 73 wall adjacent the bottom of the cap 73. Here, the elastomeric stopper ring 75 may have its apertures 83 along the circumference of the outside of the ring 75 with their axes directed radially inwardly.

In this embodiment, the looped ends 77 of the strands 79 are to be placed over the horizontal pins 81. The ring 75 may be compressed and fitted onto the pins 81 with each pin 81 penetrating horizontally completely or partially through an apertures 83 in the ring 75 depending on whether the apertures 83 extend from the outer circumference to the interior opening of the ring 75 or are blind apertures which only extend partially through the ring 75 from its outer circumference.

In accordance with the invention, a cap 73 which can be frustoconical, frustopyramidal, dome shaped, bell shaped, or otherwise have a tapered profile with a peak 87 at its top and an open bottom, has affixed to its peak 87 a hanger 89 in the form of a hook 89 for suspending the tassel 71 from a hook 89 mounted on a wall of ceiling, a cord, or other device.

Distributed about the inner circumference of the cap 73 near the cap bottom are a plurality of equally spaced supports 81 from which one or more tassel strands 79 can be suspended. The supports 81 may be horizontal rods or pins, as shown in FIG. 17, over which a loop 77 of a tassel strand 79 can be placed as seen in FIG. 16.

A form sustaining ring 75 serves as a stopper 75 for securing the looped ends 77 of the strands 79 in place on the pins 81. The stopper 75 is made of an elastomeric resilient material such as rubber or a rubber synthetic which can be compressed when squeezed and which expands to a rest disposition when released. The elastomeric stopper ring 75 can be squeezed to reduce its volume for insertion through the opening bottom of the cap 73. When the squeezing force is released from the stopper 75 the stopper 75 expands and returns to its original shape.

The outer diameter of the circular stopper 75 is preferably substantially equal to the diameter of the inner surface of the cap 73 wall adjacent its bottom whereon the pins 81 are mounted.

Accordingly, when the stopper 75 is squeezed and inserted into the cap 73 at the level of the pins 81 over which the strands 79 have been looped, the stopper 75 can then be turned to align its apertures 83 with the ends of the projecting support pins 81. The stopper 75 can then be released, allowing it to expand to its rest disposition at which the apertures 83 in the ring 75 are penetrated by the ends of the pins 81 thereby causing the rings 75 to secure the loops of the strands 79 in place on the pins 81.

Each of the apertures 83 in the stopper 75 may be fully penetrated by a corresponding pin 81. Alternatively, The ring 75 may have blind apertures in its outer wall deep enough to enable the ring 75 to be placed securely over the ends of the pins 81 without the pins 81 fully penetrating the rings 75.

The cap need not be circular in cross section and can have virtually any shape. It can be square, rectangular, polygonal with any number of sides, or irregular. The choice of shape of the cap will depend on the aesthetic appearance of this tassel that is desired. For a tassel with an irregularly shaped cap, at least one dimension of the stopper, when in the rest disposition, should preferably be equal to or greater than the maximum of the distances between each pair of free ends of the support hooks or pins. The cap can be made of metal, plastic or any other rigid or form sustaining material.

The elastomeric stopper is preferably shaped similar to the cross section of the cap at its lowermost end. That is, a circular stopper would be used in the case of a bell-shaped cap.

The stopper may be solid without an opening in which case a tab or other grasping device may be provided at the bottom face of the stopper to assist in pulling it downwardly over the ends of the hooks.

In the case of horizontally directed pins, the stopper can have a notch at one of its sides to facilitate insertion of a fingernail or finger for pressing the stopper radially inwardly to dislocate it from the horizontal rods on one side and then pull that side downwardly from the cap and the cap off of the remaining pins.

When its desired to change the strands that form a tassel, the stopper can be removed as explained above and the strands lifted off of the hooks or pins. The strands may then be rearranged or replaced with other strands on the hooks or pins. Thereafter the stopper that has been removed can be replaced as described above.

The diameter of the rubber stopper is preferably substantially equal to the diameter of the cap at its bottom opening.

Nor must the hooks and pins of the support members be interior to the cap. Instead that may project radially outwardly from the wires or wall of the cap in which case a decorative stopper can surround the outside of the cap at or near its bottom after the strands are looped over the supports. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A tassel comprising, a plurality of elongated tassel strands, a hollow cap having a central vertical axis, a top and an open bottom, a plurality of spaced tassel supports extending inwardly toward said axis from said cap proximate said bottom, and a free end, each support having a strand suspended therefrom for hanging said strand from said cap, and a resilient elastomeric stopper having a compressed disposition when squeezed and which returns to an expanded rest disposition when released, said stopper having a plurality of openings in one to one correspondence with said supports with each stopper opening receiving a free end of a support for preventing removal of said strands from said cap.
 2. A tassel in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cap has an inner surface is substantially continuous.
 3. A tassel in accordance with claim 1 where said cap is substantially in the form of a cage with spaced bars tapering outwardly from said top toward said bottom, said bars having bottom ends bent inwardly whereby said supports are integral with said bottom ends of said bars.
 4. A tassel in accordance with claim 1 wherein said free ends of said supports are turned upwardly toward said top of said cap so that they form hooks, and said openings in said stopper have axes substantially parallel to said central axis of said cap whereby said stopper can be squeezed to a compressed disposition for insertion into said cap through said cap open bottom to a position above said support free ends, released to allowed said stopper to expand, and then pulled downwardly onto said hooks.
 5. A tassel in accordance with claim 4 wherein said stopper is in the shape of a disc with an upper face and a lower face, said openings extending between said lower face and said upper face.
 6. A tassel in accordance with claim 5 wherein said stopper has a profile of a ring with a central aperture.
 7. A tassel in accordance with claim 3 wherein said hooks fully penetrate said openings in said stopper.
 8. A tassel in accordance with claim 1 wherein said supports comprise pins and said pins and stopper openings have axes substantially transverse to said central axis of said cap whereby said stopper can be squeezed to a compressed disposition for insertion into said cap through said cap open bottom to a position with said openings substantially coplanar with said support free ends, and released to allowed said stopper to expand and said support free ends to enter said stopper openings.
 9. A tassel in accordance with claim 8 wherein said stopper is in the shape of a hollow cylinder with an outer wall, a central aperture, and an inner wall, and said openings extend radially from said inner wall to said outer wall. 